Things to Do in Rome

Since banding together in 1979, the historians at Atlanta Preservation Center have helped ward off packs of angry bulldozers from more than 175 endangered buildings. Working alongside local government, businesses, and community leaders, the preservation team has saved elaborate structures including the Peters House and Winecoff Hotel. In addition, its headquarters—the 1856 Grant Mansion in Grant Park—is one of just two antebellum houses left in Atlanta and the team is currently working to restore the building to its architecturally accurate origins. When it isn’t keeping delicate treasures from crumbling, the Atlanta Preservation Center leads walking tours of historic districts and tells embarrassing stories from the days when the city’s buildings were just a bunch of baby bricks.

Click above to buy tickets to see Grey Gardens on a Wednesday, September 2 at 8 p.m. or September 9 at 8 p.m.; Thursday, September 3, 8 p.m.; Sunday, September 6 at 5 p.m. or September 13 at 2 p.m. Click on the links below for tickets on other days.

Aboard their luxury buses, vans, or motor coaches, the guides at Atlanta Sightseeing Bus Tours immerse locals and visitors alike in the rich history, culture, and architecture of the Greater Atlanta area. As tours trundle past sites including the Atlanta White House, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and the Margaret Mitchell House, tour guides passionate about the region and its myriad anecdotes relay interesting tidbits about historic locales such as the Fox Theatre and Centennial Olympic Park, the site of the three-legged race finals at the 1996 Olympics. During the five-hour voyage, passengers can take pictures, stretch their legs at hand-picked stops, and take in sweeping views of the Atlanta skyline and Appalachian Mountains from 825 feet up in the Skyride swiss cable car at Stone Mountain.

The community-focused Theatre in the Square fetes playhouse enthusiasts with riveting tales from classic, modern, and local scribes. Bursting onto the 225-seat MainStage is The Little Foxes, a familial yarn about trickery surrounding a husband's fortune. Recommended for ages 14 and up, the story brims with deceit, humor, and the complicated trappings of family life, especially for siblings that have trouble sharing stage props. Meanwhile, Circle Mirror Transformation examines the inner workings of acting class participants as they delve into their created characters while excavating the artifacts of their own personality. An off-Broadway hit, the play provides theater-goers with an amusing peek into the intricately convoluted minds of scene crafters.

For nearly seven decades, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has bridged musical gaps with an extensive catalog of Grammy-winning recordings that include symphonies, operas, and gospel and classical choral works. Once helmed by the chorale superstar Robert Shaw, the orchestra has produced six Grammy-winning releases in its 12 years under current director Robert Spano. Its allied institution, the Atlanta School of Composers provides training, support, and ear massages for hardworking contemporary artists.

The gorgeously renovated Strand Theatre is decorated in gold and crimson, with old-fashioned seats, a lobby chandelier, and retro plaster walls reminiscent of classic 1940s Hollywood theaters. Strand welcomes guests with its lit-up marquee, recalling the excitement our ancestors felt back when Chaplin vs. Kong was the biggest event of the year. Arrive 30 minutes prior to the 8 p.m. showtime for a pre-show organ sing-along, rousing the spirit of the silver screen. It's the ideal setting to see Tim Curry fight drag sharks.